Portulaca plant named ‘Bodhigros’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘Bodhigros’, characterized by its upright, low spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; continuous flowering habit; and numerous large purple-colored flowers.

Botanical classification: Portulaca grandiflora cultivar Bodhigros.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPortulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca grandiflora, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Bodhigros.

The new Portulaca is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of the breeding programis to create new Portulacas with dense plant habit, numerous largeflowers and attractive flower coloration.

The new Portulaca originated from a self-pollination made by theInventor of a proprietary Portulaca seedling selection identified ascode number 2PR65-2, not patented. The new Portulaca was selected as asingle plant from the resulting progeny of the self-pollination by theInventor in a controlled environment in Lompoc, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings inLompoc, Calif. since May, 2000 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Portulaca are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Bodhigros have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bodhigros’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bodhigros’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, low spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.    -   3. Continuous flowering habit.    -   4. Numerous large purple-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the parent selection, plants of the new Portulacadiffer in flower color, have a denser growth habit and flowercontinuously.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of theseed-propagated cultivar Sundial Pink, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Portulacadiffered from plants of the cultivar Sundial Pink in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca had a denser growth habit than        plants of the cultivar Sundial Pink.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca flowered continuously whereas        plants of the cultivar Sundial Pink flowered intermittently.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Portulaca did not produce pollen        whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Sundial Pink produced        pollen.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of theseed-propagated cultivar Margarita Rosita, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Portulacadiffered from plants of the cultivar Margarita Rosita in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca were more vigorous than plants of        the cultivar Margarita Rosita.    -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar Margarita Rosita.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Portulaca did not produce pollen        whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Margarita Rosita        produced pollen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Portulaca.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bodhigros’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘Bodhigros’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercialpractice during the winter in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse withday temperatures about 21 to 24° C., night temperatures about 16 to 18°C. and light levels about 5,000 to 9,000 foot-candles. Plants were grownwith one rooted cutting per 15.25-cm container for about eleven weeks.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca grandiflora cultivar Bodhigros.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Portulaca seedling selection            identified as 2PR65-2, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Portulaca seedling selection            identified as 2PR65-2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 to 10 days at 24° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About two to three weeks at 24° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, whitish in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; upright, low spreading and            mounded plant habit. Moderately vigorous. Freely branching            with about six primarily lateral branches and numerous            secondary laterals per plant; dense and bushy growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 20 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 8 mm. Texture: Pubescence at nodes;            succulent. Color: 146B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 1.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; succulent. Venation            pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing foliage, upper and            lower surfaces: 144A. Fully expanded foliage, upper and            lower surfaces: 146A. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:            146A. Petiole length: About 1 mm. Petiole diameter: About            1 mm. Petiole color: 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Large radial cup-shaped flowers;            flowers face upward or outward; single, axillary. Flowers            persistent. Freely flowering, typically nine to eleven open            flowers and flower buds per plant at one time.        -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn;            flowering continuous during the flowering period.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 78B.        -   Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: About 24 petals arranged in            about three whorls; imbricate. Length: About 2 cm. Width:            About 1.6 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening, upper            surface: 78A. When opening, lower surface: 78B. Fully            opened, upper surface: 78B; towards the base, 157B. Fully            opened, lower surface: 78B to 78C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Two sepals, opposite.            Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Elliptic.            Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 146B to 146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per            flower/arrangement: About 30 fused in a ring surrounding the            ovary. Anther shape: Elongated oval. Anther length: Less            than 1 mm. Anther color: 23A. Pollen amount: None observed.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            1.2 cm. Stigma shape: Eight-parted. Stigma color: 37C. Style            length: About 5 mm. Style color: 73A. Ovary color: 152D.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Portulaca have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Portulaca.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant named ‘Bodhigros’, as illustrated and described. 